30th Edition
October 31, 2023
Rebuilding integrity
I’ve written numerous times about the lack of integrity in our country. In my view it is pervasive and has manifested itself in all kinds of disastrous ways, from rampant violence in our cities, to out-of-control shoplifting, to the billions we spend every year on security systems, crime prevention and the like.
Back at the beginning… Our founding fathers believed strongly that the sustainability of democracy was dependent on maintaining certain moral principles. As John Adams famously said, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” It begs a question we should be asking – From a moral and ethical perspective, are the trends in our country moving in the right or wrong direction? In my view it is clearly the latter.
So, what can be done to rebuild trust and encourage a commitment to personal integrity? Before we can even attempt to propose solutions, we have to realize that it might take a generation to accomplish. Why? Simply because habits are hard to break, and the default expectation to mistrust the other guy has become a habit. Worse over, we expect dishonesty, and in some arenas, like national politics, we accept it. What will become of our country if we don’t at least try to reverse these destructive trends?
Here are some suggestions… First of all, we have to start at the beginning, which means integrity needs to be taught in schools. It should be part of the core curriculum in elementary school and continued through high school, with methodologies applied in age-appropriate ways. Telling the truth can become a habit if it is taught at an early age. Unfortunately, lying can become a habit, too. In the same way that a math student performs better in calculous after first mastering arithmetic and algebra, a person who learns what it means to be honest in grade school will likely make better moral and ethical decisions when situations become more complex later in life. In all important endeavors, the foundation matters. They may be hard to identify today, but our country has produced noteworthy, honest individuals, at certain times in the past, like, of course, Abraham Lincoln. But just as meaningful are the honest people who aren’t famous, but who live by a code that demands honorable behavior and personal integrity. We all know people like that, don’t we? Their stories need to be chronicled, celebrated, and shared in the classroom.
Perhaps the media could play a role by highlighting one act of integrity at the end of every newscast. How hard could that be?
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of family in terms of teaching and modeling integrity. Children can learn invaluable life lessons from parents, but only if they are raised by them. We should make every attempt to strengthen the family unit.
Communities can also play an important role in rebuilding integrity. On that note, here are two ideas. First unlock all gymnasiums and churches. Both should never be locked. Surely, we can find ways to ensure safety in both facilities. Second, create programs that serve the needs of the community, while building relationships across cultural, economic, and racial groups. Trust can only flourish after relationships have been established. Gymnasiums and churches are natural places to discover and grow new relationships.
Some of the trends in colleges and universities need to be changed. Why are they allowing students to disrupt speeches by people with whom they have a difference of opinion? I’m not quite sure I understand what is going on, but it isn’t a good thing. Suppressing alternative viewpoints is one of the early steps toward totalitarianism. The current generation of college students were raised under two disastrous rules – equal playing time and participation trophies. Has this made them unable to handle adversity or to resolve conflict respectfully? My guess is it is part of the problem. And why would the administration at these colleges and universities allow this disrespectful behavior? That puzzles me, but I suspect fear and a lack of trust are part of the issue.
We sure have a lot of work to do, don’t we? And a few choices to make as well. We can continue on the current path of dishonesty, allowing fear, suspicion, and disunity to continue to fester. Or we can elevate this solemn oath – to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me, God. If we can teach this to the next generation there is hope, for the values we instill in them will determine the future of our country.
Please help me grow my readership by forwarding this to a friend(s). In the meantime, say tuned for my next newsletter. Thanks
Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.